General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Edward Pyndar Lygon (3 April 1786 – 11 November 1860) was a senior officer in the British Army and a Member of Parliament.

Background

Edward was the fourth son of

William Lygon, 1st Earl Beauchamp William Lygon, 1st Earl of Beauchamp (25 July 1747 – 21 October 1816), known as Lord Beauchamp of Powyke between 1806 and 1815, was a British politician. Early life Lygon was the son of Reginald Lygon (originally Reginald Pyndar), of Madr ...

, by his wife Catharine, the only daughter of James Denn. An elder brother was

Henry Lygon, 4th Earl Beauchamp General Henry Beauchamp Lygon, 4th Earl Beauchamp DL (5 January 1784 – 8 September 1863), styled The Honourable Henry Lygon from 1806 until 1853, was a British Army officer and politician. Background Beauchamp was the third son of William ...

who also became an army general. Edward was educated at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

and entered the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

in 1803 as a cornet in the

2nd Life Guards The 2nd Regiment of Life Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was formed in 1788 by the union of the 2nd Troop of Horse Guards and 2nd Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. In 1922, it was amalgamated ...

Military career

He was made lieutenant in 1805, captain in 1808 and major and fought in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...

from 1812 to 1814. He was made major and lieutenant-colonel in 1815 and commanded the

at the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...

. He was awarded CB on 22 June 1815. Further promotions as a staff officer were to lieutenant-colonel in 1818, colonel in 1822, major-general in 1837 and lieutenant-general in 1846. He was appointed Inspector General of Cavalry. He was given the colonelcy of the 13th Regiment of Light Dragoons in January 1845, a position he held until his death. He was made a full general on 20 June 1854.

Parliamentary career

In 1818 Lygon was elected to Parliament for

Callington Callington () is a civil parish and town in east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom about north of Saltash and south of Launceston. Callington parish had a population of 4,783 in 2001, according to the 2001 census. This had increased to 5,78 ...

, sitting until 1820. Although re-elected in March 1820 he was unseated on petition the following June.

Death and legacy

He died unmarried at his

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

home in 1860, although he also owned Spring Hill in

Broadway, Worcestershire Broadway is a large village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Cotswolds, England, with a population of 2,540 at the 2011 census. It is in the far southeast of Worcestershire, close to the Gloucestershire border, midway between ...

. The Lygon Arms in

Chipping Campden Chipping Campden is a market town in the Cotswold (district), Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its terraced High Street, dating from the 14th to the 17th centuries. A wool trading centre in the Middle Ages, Chipp ...

was named after him.

Lygon Street Lygon Street is located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, running through the inner northern suburbs of Carlton, Carlton North, Princes Hill and Brunswick East. Lygon Street is synonymous with the Italian community of Melbourne, form ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, Australia, was also named in his honour.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Lygon, Edward Pyndar 1786 births 1860 deaths People educated at Westminster School, London British Life Guards officers Companions of the Order of the Bath British Army generals British Army personnel of the Peninsular War People of the Battle of Waterloo Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Callington Younger sons of earls UK MPs 1818–1820 UK MPs 1820–1826

Edward Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...